7.
Pond Field, Littlebrook
The archaeological potential of this area was first noted by F. C. J.
Spurrell, F.S.A., an archaeologist and antiquarian. In 1883, he reported
the discovery of some Anglo-Saxon graves at Littlebrook. The discoveries
were made during quarrying operations on the hillside overlooking
Littlebrook Farm and Stone Marshes. In 1885, Spurrell produced a plan of
a network of earth embankments which he believed may have formed part of
a Saxon hythe or port. These embankments are now almost totally buried
under Littlebrook D’ Power Station.
More than fifty years later the site
of a Medieval settlement was discovered to the south east of these
embankments in an area known as Pond Field. This discovery was made by
Harold Mair, a former Chairman of the Dartford Historical and
Antiquarian Society. Accompanied by his son Gordon, he was able to carry
out a small excavation from which a plan of the site was produced in his
book 'The XVth Mile Stage’.
Pond Field had originally been one
large field but was later split in half by an earth embankment which
carried a road and rail link out to the first Littlebrook Power Station.
This embankment cut across the site, most of which lies on the western
side.
In 1972, the Group relocated Mair’s Medieval site. This
was to be the Group’s first major excavation and formed a perfect
opportunity to try out our newly acquired skills.
Our excavation revealed a rectangular
building measuring 8.5m. (27ft 11ins) x 8m (26ft 3ins). The walls were
formed of several courses of mortared chalk and flint. The main
structure of this building was probably of timber with lath and plaster
infill panels resting on
these sleeper walls, which in turn acted as a
damp course. The building was roofed with clay peg tiles. In the middle
of the floor was found a hearth. 2m 6ft 7ins) square. This was
constructed of roofing tiles set on edge into the floor. These would
have been spare and damaged tiles left over from the roofing work. When
the building was in use a fire was built on the hearth and smoke would
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rise up
and escape through openings in the roof. Harold Mair mentions this
building and suggests it was used as a communal kitchen. This proved to
be the only tiled building we were able to locate on the site. The other
buildings found were of less substantial construction. They comprised a
rammed chalk floor of roughly circular shape. in the centre of the floor
was a hole into which a post was fitted. ‘this supported a roof
presumably made of wood and reeds. These circular tentlike structures
possibly served as sleeping accommodation for the site occupiers.
In his book, Mair mentions that these
habitations were possibly occupied by workmen employed in the
construction and maintenance of the Thames embankments during the early
Medieval period (13th —14th
centuries).
Our excavation failed to reveal any
of the rubbish pits related to the site. It would appear that perhaps
the residents may have used the nearby river as their dustbin. The
pottery fragments that were found were from dishes and cooking pots as
well as fragments of more finely made green glazed pottery probably from
drink containers.
From the animal bones and shells
found it would appear that pork and oysters were the main food of the
settlement occupants. In terms of artifacts only two were found; one was
a small pair of bronze tweezers and the other a whetstone or sharpening
stone.
From all the evidence obtained from
the site we have been able to visualise what it may have looked like in
Medieval times. The buildings were located on an area of gravel,
slightly raised, adjacent to a reed lined river and pond. Both were
linked to the River Thames and were tidal. The name 'Pond Field’ is
derived from this fact and although both pond and river were filled in
during the middle of this century they were still evident as a peat
filled depression.
The site at Littlebrook has now been
partially destroyed, although an area of it still survives buried under
the recently widened embankment which carries the road traffic out to
the Power Station. |